Do you even want a straight section or just the bends? Just let me know specifically what pieces.

Here is the used icebox pic brandon.

 

Brian is that can paint or professional on the silver icebox ? Curious , I may shoot mine .

 

I had a bodyshop paint it but you could easily do it yourself.

 

Speaking of paint, I had some rust on the bracket the rear bumper attaches to. I am not too concerned about looks because it is behind the bumper. I just want to stop the rust from spreading further under the paint.

I wanted to order some oem matched ssm paint in a spray can. I bought a can from this site, just waiting for it to arrive. It was pricey at $25 a can. Here is the website I ordered from.
www.paintscratch.com

I started cleaning it up by sanding away the rust.


I changed up one of the crankcase filters to make it look cleaner. I wasn't happy with how it looked before. I ended up using a K&N #62-1015 on the valve cover. I replaced the filter on the egr spacer with a K&N #62-2480.



The O2 bungs arrived and so did the exhaust manifold gaskets. Which gasket set should I use? The oem ones or the aftermarket ones? Can I open up the gaskets at all since the flange openings are slightly wider than the gasket?


I finished cleaning up the inside flange on the rear header section. Still have the front to do.

I just ended up using my dremel with this engraving extension and sanding wheels.


Here are the rear header inside flange pics.

 

Sick man , you do so much I just wanna copy .
Small filters look so badass .

 

 

Not sure I would cut on the manifold gaskets as it might compromise the structural integrity. You could ask previous owner what he did and used. I'm sure he has more of clue than I do. The stock ?(left) gaskets look like they might stay sealed better, but the right set looks like it may fit and flow better. BTW, I am still interested in your comptech headers whenever they become available.

 

These headers have not been used before so I can't just ask previous owner what he did. They aren't even finished being built yet. I will just have the openings larger then the gasket. Hope this doesn't affect airflow negatively.

 

Thnx for answering btw oldsman. I won't forget about the headers I remember you asking about them.

I cut out a hole in the rear bumper for the tow hook.

Here is the tow hook attached to he bumper beam.


I had this tl front bumper lying around so I practiced a few times on it.


The method I decided on was to drill 2 pilot holes at the ends then use this plastic cutting wheel on this smaller sized dremel. I had to use this shorter dremel to cut through the back of the bumper because of space and angle issues.


I masked off the area to cut, then drilled the 2 holes.


I flipped it on its back to cut it out.


Slot roughly cut out.


Then I taped off the other side and hand sanded it first with 180 grit then finished with 1000 grit.


Tape removed.



Should have the bumper back on this weekend.

 

The bumper slot for tow hook should look really slick. I thought you had bought your new headers from another member. My bad.

 

I did buy them from another member. He changed his mind about using headers when they were being built and decided to go turbo. These have never been installed on a car. They were mocked up to an engine and subframe.

 

Proper location .

 

Looking great. Don't you ever take a break. lol.

 

I try to do a little work everyday. It relaxes me and takes my mind off other things stressing me out.

Autocross season was my break. Winter is when I do most of my work.

I am OCD if you haven't noticed. Hehe.

 

A lot of ODC folks on this site. That's what makes it so good.

 

Also just thought of something. As long as the openings on your header gaskets are larger than the ports on your heads flow will not be significantly disrupted.

 

I was thinking the same thing. As long as the gasket seats/seals properly. I think in that instance the aftermarket gaskets might be better.

I kind of want to open up the head to match but that would require removing engine.

I would rather buy a spare engine and do the work on that instead.

 

I finished up the rear bumper today. I wanted to drive it, but today had to be the first snow day of the year.

Paint paintscratch sent me.


Masked for primer.


Primer applied. Still need to sand,clean, mask again, then paint.



Paint applied.


Bumper beam installed.


When test fitting the bumper I noticed the tow hook was about an inch lower then the hole I cut out. I guess holding bumper beam up to the bumper while off the car is not the right way to do it. Oh well.

I needed to come up with a solution that didn't involve buying a new bumper.

I decided to cut a slot out and mount it inside the beam instead of under the beam like I planned.


I made a spacer out of aluminum to raise it to the desired height necessary.


Tow hook installed. New location.


Cut a section out of the foam support with a box cutter.



I installed these self-tapping screws in the bumper and the metal below. This tightens up that gap below the taillights for better fitment.


Bumper back on.




I also changed out all the bulbs in the taillights and license plate to PIAA except for the turn signal bulbs which are the same sylvania ones I used in the headlights.

I am surprised all my bulbs except for the clock light bulb are still working since buying it new in 2002.

 

Damn that came out to look really clean. good job man, not just on this project but the whole thread lol

 

Well done , but remind me not to cut into my bumper cause I could never get it to line up that straight .

 

I was worried I would screw it up also. Luckily I was able to adapt and make it work.

I drove it for the first time today straight to the emission test. I failed emissions for the first time ever. They said EGR flow and oxygen sensor not ready. I have no engine codes. I am not sure if this is because I just needed to reset the battery and drive it some first or if I need to change something.

Only thing I have changed since last test was the custom intake. All I did was remove the tube going from the egr spacer barb to the intake tube. I put a crankcase filter on the barb instead.

I just talked to my mechanic and he does not think that should cause it to fail. He thinks that I need to put some miles on the car then retest it.

My mechanic recommended this shop for welding work. They can weld aluminum, steel, or titanium. Think I will check them out since they are close to me.
http://tougefactory.com/shop/service...g-fabrication/

 

Owner's Manual; page 335

'Testing for Readiness Codes
If you take your vehicle for a state emissions test shortly after the battery has been disconnected or gone dead, it may not pass the test. This is because of certain "readiness codes" that must be set in the onboard diagnostics for the emissions systems. These codes are erased when the battery is disconnected, and set again only after several days of driving under a variety of conditions. If the testing facility determines that the readiness codes are not set, you will be requested to return at a later date to complete the test. If you must get the vehicle re-tested within the next two or three days, you can condition the vehicle for re-testing by doing the following.'

Then the manual lists a combination of steps to carry out to 'condition the vehicle'.

One more point to ponder, and it is not meant to 'rain on your parade' for you have done much excellent work on your vehicle thus far.

I understand that the rules for autocross requires the placement of the tow hooks in order to participate. In short, do you have a concern that, perhaps, by lightening the rear bumper beam via the method employed, you may have compromised the structural integrity of the beam itself in the area of the tow hook(s) where stress would be applied in pulling the front/rear of vehicle out of a position that might not be level?

All I'm saying is, it would be unfortunate to have to utilize the tow hooks only to witness that they may fail because the weight dynamic/angle of the car stresses the 'honey combed' area around the tow hook during an extraction.

Some of the tow technicians I have observed over the years are not exactly gentle when performing their duties.

 

Thanks for coming through again zeta.

You don't have to be so careful in wording your criticism. I like the criticism when it is constructive. I don't get enough of it.

That was obviously a concern of mine when removing the weight. I made sure to install the rear tow hook on the part that bolts to the frame. I think that is the strongest part and I did not remove any metal from that section. The front I moved over slightly to fit thru the lower grill opening, but I did not remove as much metal from front as I did the rear.

The autocross I have been running does not require tow hooks but other ones do. It is more for when I start tracking the car.

I think it will hold up, but only 1 way to really find out. I would rather not ever have to test it. If I go into a ditch i think I will have bigger problems then a bent bumper beam and damaged bumper. The oe tow locations are still present if I have to use them.

The bumper beam is actually thicker then the frame metal I believe. It is atleast just as thick. I would be worried if it was aluminum like on higher class cars.

The car should be around 600 lbs lighter by next year so that should help a little also.

Attaching them to the frame would probably be a better option.

 

The tow hook looks good. Way to think on the fly! Your uncanny ability to work through and solve problems as they surface is amazing. It is a vanishing trait in American culture. I have an Olds wagon that I through the car cover on 4 years ago because I got frustrated with a few things I have yet to determine a solution for. You have a true gift.

 

LOL, yeah, I thought I would insert that caveat in there since I mostly lurk rather than post these days.

I figured it had occurred to you during your efforts, being the results of the analysis/critical thinking aspect of the part and its purpose during your modification.

Well done!

 

Thanks for the praise but I do not deserve it. Everything I have done your average joe should be able to do. It just takes time, money, lots of research, and dedication.

This is the first car I have ever modded so everything is new to me and a learning experience.

 

I was thinking whether or not I could remove the air assist valve and use a coolant temp sensor adapter fitting for the k-series engine? Then I could plug my water temp sensor into there instead of using the water temp sensor adapter in the radiator hose. Right now I just have the valve plugged.

The air assist valve I am referring to


K-series coolant temp sensor adapter
http://k-tuned.3dcartstores.com/Cool...ter_p_178.html

Radiator hose sensor adapter
http://www.bwrusa.com/category_s/216.htm

 

You haven't been on for a few days. Hoping you came through the bad weather up there OK.

 

The tornadoes were south of me. We did have 60 mph winds, but wind is pretty normal in this area. The average day is 15-20mph winds.

I cleared my pm box if you wanted to pm me.


So I went 2 days later and passed the emissions test. This time the egr flow read as "ready". I still had "not ready" listed for oxygen sensor, and "not supported" for secondary air system, a/c refrigerant, and heated catalyst. My a/c and heat is working fine so not sure if there is anything to worry about.

After looking into the air assist valve assembly some more, it looks different fro the k-series. The k series has a threaded hole, whereas ours is bolted down with a o-ring to seal it. I would need to make a custom block-off plate. I think I will put this on the back burner for now.

 

I had my oem headers and long tube headers out to try and decide where to weld the oxygen sensor bungs. I will have to move the placement because of how the long tubes were made. I will most likely have to extend at least one of the sensors wires.

The oem header weighs 26 lbs. The long tube header weighs 20 lbs. and extends further than the oem header. I will weigh the comptech header when they are removed.

Here are some comparison pics.




One side opening on the collector is wider then the whole oem header pipe.


This opening is no bigger then the 3 exhaust manifold openings that feed into it. Talk about restrictive.


With these headers I will need to either move the oem fan to in front of the radiator, or I can replace it with a slim fan. Any opinions?

Here is the slim fan I have been looking at getting.
http://www.streettunedmotorsports.com/parts/fal_fan.htm

Could replace both fans by going with this. I am just not sure about how to wire it yet.


I purchased a c-mod grille directly from c-mod a few months back. I can confirm that they never fixed the fitment issues. Considering the fitment problems, the fact that I prefer the look of the oem grille, and knowing that the c-mod grille is only 1 lb or less lighter made up my mind.

If anyone is interested in it at a cheap price just pm me.


Ordered a custom spec filter from AFE using their build a filter page.
http://afepower.com/shop/custom/filter.php

Inverted top filter. Hopefully this adds 1-2 hp.

 

that's a crazy difference! I'm so jealous of those headers. It's almost a shame to put them in since you won't see them as much.

A slim fan would probably be easier i would think as long as they funtion the same.

Also, sent you $ finally.

 

you should just sell me those long tube headers and call it a day.

 

If you really want them they are yours, but I doubt anyone will be willing to pay for them. I will sell them for 200 less than I paid but I have a feeling I am stuck with them.

I am starting to second guess this decision. After looking closer at the headers and my engine bay, I see no way to install these without completely removing the engine and subframe. Even then you might have to remove the engine from the subframe to even be able to mount them. On top of all that the alternator, a/c components, a/c fan, and more is in the way. I would probably have to do an a/c delete and maybe move alternator. Then I will have to extend oxygen sensor wires and remove all my bracing under the car. These headers seem to have been made only taking subframe clearance into account. All the engine accessories were not on the engine during mockup.

I wish I would have just decided to modify my comptech headers. I would have saved a lot if money, not have to do any of the above, and almost the same power.

I am going to keep my comptechs and modify them. Sorry to all the people wanting to buy them. Just not worth selling considering they are discontinued.

 

shit that sucks! I wish i could see more pictures of civics longtubes and how they differ from these. I don't think he had any issues with clearance although i'm sure they're tight.

 

Looks like it's mostly the front header being the problem. What about cutting the front one just when it gets under the engine. Would someone be able to weld it back from under the engine? I don't see how those other engine parts would be in the way, but then again you're the one with them right in front of you. Would you feed the front from under the engine?

 

Civics headers merged way higher up than these do. Similar to what the p2r headers looked like.

I am not sure if you would install it from below or above. You would have to remove components from engine to fit it from below. I am not sure from above because the piece is so long. It will come down to the angle. I think the rear section will be a hassle also.

These headers were made with only millimeters of clearance when installed. That makes getting them in position rather difficult.

Fox assures me he had the a/c compressor bracket on the engine during mockup, but I am still concerned the actual condenser might be in the way. If it does clear it must be by a few millimeters at most.

Fox is telling me I will only have to remove front subframe section, and radiator with fans.

Now I need to convince a shop I have never dealt with to build and install these for me. Need to think this thru.

 

Here is a pic of the top section of p2r header. The rest is just like all the aftermarket header options.

These would be so much easier to install.

 

Wow.
Just Wow.
He knew exactly what he was selling.

Did you know of all these issues before the sale ?
Seams like you will pay someone just as much as you already spent on the headers to correct all issues and finsh the headers/exhaust.

Kinda seams like you got a shitty deal.
I would be pissed if fittment issues were not well desrcibed.
Because if not, you just paid for a bunch of high dollar pipe.

Sorry B
He knew he was selling some crap or they would've been on his car.

Maybe you should pick up a spare subframe to mess with if your going to keep them.

 

how big are the CT primaries?

 

I won't know for sure if there are issues until I actually try and install it. When I purchased it I assumed it would fit. Fox is trying to reassure me it will, I am just not convinced yet. His reason for selling was he changed his mind to go turbo. I will say I have learned not to buy a modified part without it being installed in the future. I wanted to avoid the headaches of having a custom one made but I still have to deal with that. Don't bash fox tho, it is my fault for making an impulse purchase.
I am not sure.


So I went to the fab shop to see what they think. I could tell they do not really want to work on it but said they would. Because it is a one off they cannot give me a price quote and will have to charge me based on hours. Which means I will probably get raped. I will have to drop my car off and leave it for weeks or maybe a full month or more. They said they would not be willing to weld the oxygen bungs on without it being installed first. I refuse to install them twice so I will have to send them off to get coated first. I will need to mask of a section for the bungs or just grind the coating off in that area.

This is gonna be such a huge money pit. I don't see how any dyno results could possibly be worth the price.

Modified comptechs and a stoptech trophy bbk sounds so nice right about now.